Calling all undergraduate and high school students to consider summer research programs or science immersion
Consider applying to summer internships or camps on science. Summer programs are often a catalyst to get excited about a career in science, and they are a great method to network for the future. Summer research experiences for undergraduates (REUs) and high school students are great ways to see research in action up close and personal. The sooner you get involved, the easier it is to get familiar with a career in science. These programs place students into active research projects with nurturing mentors, and some of them will even offer a stipend. You can cite them on your CV or personal statement for undergrad and grad school applications, and they make for good interview conversation. The catch is that these internships can be competitive and require advanced planning.
Why think about the summer as early as eight months beforehand? The reason is simple, which is that many deadlines for summer programs are in December or January prior. And it takes time to gather the necessary documents, because many require letters of recommendation, an essay or personal statement, CV, and transcript. The good news is that most applications are online or sent by email.
Coaching tip. Plan ahead. It is not possible to send in many of these applications the night before they are due. Send in your requests for transcripts ahead of time. Draft a personal statement sooner than the deadline, so you might have others help you refine it. A general rule of thumb is to request letters of recommendation from your recommenders three weeks before they are due. Recommenders may think poorly of you if you send in your request within a week of the due date. It shows lack of regard for their time, and it could suggest that you are not organized enough to warrant a favorable recommendation. On the other hand, if you want to look like a star and get a great recommendation, you can go an extra step and politely ask the recommender if she or he would like you to provide a suggested draft of your recommendation. There is no ethical dilemma in offering since the recommender has the right to completely change the recommendation. It helps her or him work on a final letter using your polished draft. And who can write better about you than yourself (other than maybe your Mom)?
Get started by searching for the programs that interest you. It is best to spend some time searching online for programs that pique your interest. You might also engage with students who have gone through these types of programs. Many application webpages also provide information about former projects, which can be useful to identify the types of research projects that are of interest to you. It may be helpful to apply to 10 or more programs.
A non-exhaustive list of programs (along with links).
Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Research, Biomedical Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Prestigious Amgen Scholars Program (typically due early Feb, biotechnology and biological sciences)
National Science Foundation (NSF) REUs by category (includes, biology, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer science, and social sciences, varying deadlines) and specifically the NSF Summer Scholars Internship Program
Department of Defense internships (DOD STEM page, includes cybersecurity, aerospace, engineering, comp sci.)
Stanford Bio-X Undergraduate Summer Research Program (Bio-X USRP) for undergrads and a central link to Stanford undergraduate and high school summer programs.
Vertex Pharmaceutical. MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP-Bio).
Johns Hopkins Summer Internship Program. USAJobs (search under internships).
Massachusetts General Hospital Internships for Undergraduates and Medical Students
There are many other opportunities, including at NASA, technology companies, and a host of other governmental or private agencies. For example, interested in hands-on experience in the governance of science and technology? How about applying to the White House administration, or similar? One such opportunity is an internship with the Biden-Harris Administration.
Note that some programs post applications only for a specific date range. For example, the Summer Internship for undergrads for Northwestern University is usually posted at https://jobs.nm.org/ on December 15th and then removed on January 26th.
If you are an underrepresented minority (URM), please take special advantage of the opportunities that are available. For example, here is one among many from the American Society for Clinical Investigation for a 1-2 year internship in research for URMs as a post bac.
Humanity First USA has enriching summer opportunities. For those looking for a more flexible position, also consider applying to be a volunteer tutor with Humanity First USA through The Education Project. Students can spend time mentoring and teaching others in math and sciences (as well as other subjects) on a weekly basis for a few hours a week through this virtual tutoring program.